FOR weeks, even months, speculation was rife over the future of the Commonwealth Games after 2018, when they are scheduled for Queensland's Gold Coast.

Despite hints of interest for the 2022 edition from Christchurch (recovering from a catastrophic earthquake), Hambantota (post tsunami), Singapore and London, the deadline for bids dawned on Monday with nothing on the table at the London headquarters of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Yet, by close of play, formal notice had been lodged by Durban and Edmonton - with just an hour to spare.

Should we have been surprised? Well, no. The head of South Africa's National Olympic Committee, Gideon Sam, said when his country withdrew from the 2020 Olympic race that they would bid instead for the 2022 Commonwealths. That was in May 2011.

Then, in February 2012, the chief executive of Commonwealth Games Canada said his country was interested in bidding, and Edmonton agreed a feasibility study which even acknowledged potential for a competing South African bid.

Yet, much of the media seemed unaware, even suggesting the Games would die after 2018 for lack of candidates.

The CGF chief executive, Mike Hooper, made it clear yesterday that this week's two bids were no surprise, and should not have come as such to an objective media. "This is business as usual," he said, "nothing special."

During weeks and months of media doom-saying, he'd remained consistent: "I am confident there will be a bid, or bids, for the 2022 Commonwealth Games . . . There were others whom we spoke to, which I am not going to get into, vis-a-vis 2022."

He insists his silence was proper. "Quite rightly, I refused to comment. Which part of 'I remain confident' did they not understand? I said many times there would be a bid, or bids, for 2022. It was a bit of a hint. What else can I say without giving anything away? I could not comment until close of play.

"If a city or Commonwealth Games Council wants a private discussion with us, for clarification and information, it's inappropriate to have public commentary on it. So I had to bite my tongue. We don't run a commentary in the press about what is going on. That would have been pre-empting the process.

"All the talk that nobody was interested . . . I just did not respond. I let them speculate all they liked, because it would be totally wrong to comment."

Giving information could have been seen as undermining a candidate or indicating a preference. "They could have said I was trying to exert influence. I had plenty of conversations with South Africa. And I'd plenty of conversations in relation to Edmonton. At the 2012 Olympics Tunku Imran and I met the ceo of Edmonton city. Discussions are going on all the time, like at Sportaccord for many years.

"Part of our job is holding exploratory talks. These have come to fruition this week. I'd had talks already with Wales on 2026. I have spoken to the minister there, but I was not going to reveal that while the process was on-going.

"All that interest counters the nay-sayers. There is actually a lot of interest. To those who would suggest otherwise, it shows some of the speculation was wrong. But we just had to bite our tongue.

"Part of our job is to encourage, support, and promote. We speak to anybody and everybody about hosting, and the legacy benefits.

"The Gold Coast will be a fantastic follow-up to Glasgow, and now we have two great countries and cities vying for 2022. And already interest expressed openly and publicly by Wales for 2026. I am confident of others for 2026. The future for the organisation is bright - we are definitely going to have three solid Games in a row. It's fantastic for the movement."

Hooper will stand down after Glasgow. The Australian's tenure has not been smooth. So concerned was the CGF about Delhi that he moved there some three years out, to monitor preparations. Relations between him and Suresh Kalmadi, chair of the organising committee, were so tempestuous that the Indian demanded Hooper's summary removal. Hooper stayed - backed to the hilt - and Kalmadi was later jailed for corruption, thrown out of the Olympic committee, and dismissed as president of the Asian Athletics Association.

Glasgow's smooth preparations - ringingly endorsed last week - surely came as a relief. He says 2014 broadcast rights fees and sponsorship, "has exceeded budget expectations, with more in the pipeline - and that's fantastic."

The CGF is already talking to broadcasters vis-a-vis 2018. "Without getting into details, a deal has already been done with a particular broadcaster. So we're in good heart.

"Glasgow will be fantastic, with the potential for the best Games ever. We are not trying to compete with other major multi-sport events. But the rugby sevens, netball and lawn bowls will be the best in the world; squash and badminton, with the Asian countries, will be right up there; the athletics, with Carribean sprinters and middle distance runners from Africa, will be very high quality."

I suggest Delhi left aspects of the Games brand to be salvaged. Hopper agrees, up to a point, but insists 2010 "delivered for the athletes - they'd a great time. All the shenanigans before - it doesn't matter that Mike Hooper or the administrators had a tough time. India delivered a secure environment with no real incidents. There were the biggest ever by numbers of countries participating, with more athletes and officials than any previous Games, despite talk of terrorist threat, dengue fever, and flooding.

"Were there challenges? No denying, and very publicly articulated, but our product continues to grow and evolve and we will ensure it remains relevant on the word sporting stage."

To that end the CGF is conducting a full review of the sports programme, which could mean radical change: quotas, number of sports and disciplines within them. "Everything is on the table," he says. "Changes could mean anything and everything. We have to ensure our product remains affordable and relevant to the Commonwealth as it continues to evolve."

Edmonton hosted the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 1983 Universiade, and 2001 World Athletics Championships. But they lost to Gwangju for the 2015 Universiade, and the Alberta government binned a proposed bid for Expo 2017.

This would be a fifth Games in Canada. Their last bid was by Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were up against Glasgow and Abuja, but withdrew on cost grounds. I suspect that won't happen again, but they are in a fight.

The African continent has never hosted a Commonwealth Games, and I'm one of many who would consider this overdue.

Hooper? He could not possibly comment.